L.A. Noir

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Summary: Insight into the young Ellroy
Review: Anyone who knows the slightest thing about James Ellroy should realise that this early trilogy was a process of evolution for the stunning writer of truly wonderful fiction like American Tabloid. OK it's not as densely plotted but therein lies the magnificence of this trilogy. It's still expertly crafted and immensely readable. I read Blood on the Moon in one whirlwind of a day. Enjoy the ride Ellroy takes you on and don't concern yourself with meaningless comparisons with his later work. Love Lloyd Hopkins as you surely should. It's still in a league of it's own as far as your average crime writing goes.

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Summary: To reader from San Diego, May 18th:
Review: Do not give up on Ellroy because of LA NOIR. This collection is his weaker stuff. Try the LA Quartet( The BLack Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, LA Confidential, White Jazz) and American Tabloid. These are much better examples of Ellroys prose.

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Summary: My boy Ellroy!
Review: Expecting the brillinace of 'The Black Dahlia', 'L.A. Confidential' or 'American Tabloid'? Well tough, buddy, you're not gonna get it! But you should read it anyways. Why? Cause the promising newcomer that wrote 'Brown's Requiem' had to evolve into the Big Boogaloo that wrote 'Dahlia' somehow, and these three novels show you pretty much the path he took. The first one is pure macho hero-worship with Ellroy writing about a brilliant, 'sex-obsessed' cop tracking a monster. Second, same, but the monster there rocks. Then the third, and Ellroy's hero is less brilliant, and he shows his new discovery: 'Macho' = 'Fear' = 'B.S.'. Book one is by the guy that wrote 'Requiem', book three is by the guy that wrote 'Dahlia'. If you're a fan, its like the proud moment when a baby learns its first swear word.

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Summary: The Master Before He Got His Chops
Review: First: Ellroy is the greatest living American writer. Second: I'm sorry to report that this collection of early novels was a big disappointment. If you haven't read him, I wouldn't recommend starting here. As the man himself might put it, "it didn't jazz me." In fact, I put it down after reading the whole of *Blood on the Moon* (the first of these three), and trudging half-way through *Because the Night* (number two). The biggest problem is that it's not really "noir." The prose is weak, predictable, numbingly repetetive and overwrought. It reads much more like the kind of massmarket, serial-killer fiction that clutter the tables of New York City street salesmen (think *Hannibal*) than Ellroy's great masterpieces (every novel after and including *The Black Dahlia*). Much of the prose is downright annoying (how many ways can he use the word "picayune"?).

Although there are glimpses of the darkness and passion that Ellroy would perfect in his later novels, I can't recommend shelling out for the hardcover. If you must, you must. Hey, I know what it's like: I'm an Ellroy addict, and I know how it is to "jones" for his pitiless, high octane vision. This isn't it. Alas.

Rating:
Summary: The Master Before He Got His Chops
Review: First: Ellroy is the greatest living American writer. Second: I'm sorry to report that this collection of early novels was a big disappointment. If you haven't read him, I wouldn't recommend starting here. As the man himself might put it, "it didn't jazz me." In fact, I put it down after reading the whole of *Blood on the Moon* (the first of these three), and trudging half-way through *Because the Night* (number two). The biggest problem is that it's not really "noir." The prose is weak, predictable, numbingly repetetive and overwrought. It reads much more like the kind of massmarket, serial-killer fiction that clutter the tables of New York City street salesmen (think *Hannibal*) than Ellroy's great masterpieces (every novel after and including *The Black Dahlia*). Much of the prose is downright annoying (how many ways can he use the word "picayune"?).

Although there are glimpses of the darkness and passion that Ellroy would perfect in his later novels, I can't recommend shelling out for the hardcover. If you must, you must. Hey, I know what it's like: I'm an Ellroy addict, and I know how it is to "jones" for his pitiless, high octane vision. This isn't it. Alas.

Rating:
Summary: My boy Ellroy!
Review: I read a lot of crime fiction, and nobody does what Ellroy does.Forget the fact that these are early Ellroy works. Forget the fact that they tale place in a different era than those visited in his more popular books (40's - 50's - 60's), that being the 1980's. Just groove on Ellroy's caffeinated prose and bask in the glory of its radiance!

I love that these books take place in the '80's. When you read other Ellroys you wonder what his take on the "modern world" would be. I found it just as relentless and glorious as the other time periods used in his later novels. Ellroy was writing these at the same time Brett Easton Ellis was writing Less Than Zero, the same time that the movie To Live and Die in L.A. appeared in theatres. This is a time and place in American history with tremendous dramatic literary potential. The fact that Ellroy's characters and story lines could exist in the 40's, 50's or 60's, with bourbon and jazz replacing cocaine and punk is a testement to Ellroy's undeniable brilliance.

And Lloyd Hopkins, the hero of these novels? He lacks the charm of a Spenser or Carella, posesses the demons and frailties of a Robicheaux or Scudder, but is still an Ellroy original. Love him or hate him while you read these books, but I guarantee you'll miss him when you're done.

Read L.A. Confidential or American Tabloid for the best Ellroy there is. Read L.A. Noir and just enjoy Ellroy.